Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaSan Luis Obispo CountyAtascadero Population 29,735 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Atascadero, California

A $673,000 home here costs

$4,902

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,460. The real number is $1,442 higher every month — 42% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Atascadero median: $673,400
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $538,400 borrowed $3,460
Property tax0.731% effective rate for Atascadero itself $410
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $104
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $561
Total monthly $4,902

Atascadero against San Luis Obispo County and California

MeasureAtascaderoSan Luis Obispo County
Median home value$673,400$777,200
Median property tax$4,923$5,475
Effective tax rate0.731%0.704%
Median gross rent$1,855$1,899
Population29,735281,486

The weather behind that power bill

Atascadero sits in San Luis Obispo County, which averages a high of 79.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 40.2°F in its coldest, with 17.94" of precipitation a year and 59% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 334 cooling and 2,265 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for San Luis Obispo County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in San Luis Obispo County

Full San Luis Obispo County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Atascadero?

A $673,000 home in Atascadero, California costs approximately $4,902 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,460 principal and interest, $410 property tax, $104 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $561 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Atascadero?

Atascadero has an effective property tax rate of 0.731%, based on a median home value of $673,400 and median real estate taxes of $4,923. That is higher than the San Luis Obispo County average of 0.704%.

What is the average home price in Atascadero?

The median owner-occupied home value in Atascadero, California is $673,400, against $777,200 across San Luis Obispo County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Atascadero?

Median gross rent in Atascadero is $1,855 a month, against $4,902 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Atascadero — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for California.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology